maqkine



Sept. l, 1931. f w. L. MAQKINE' 1,821,521

GUN MOUNT Filed Mann 15, 193o 2 sheets-sheer. 1

Septi, 1931. w. L. ACME 1,821,521

GUN MOUNT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 File'd March 15', 93o

lNvENT-O ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 1, 1931 WILLIAM L. MACKENE, OFBALTIBIGBE, MARYLAND GUN-TLIOUNT Application filed March 15,

rl`his invention relates to a gun-mount and is particularly useful formounting a gun in connection with aeroplanes and elsewhere in which theconditions for mounting and L handling the gun are similar thereto oranalogous in whole or in part. In' this connection the gun to be mountedwill ordinarily be of the machine gun type but the invention is notlimited to the mounting of any .3 particular type of gun nor to anyparticular use such as for aeroplanes except as specifically required bythe claims.

An object of the invention is to provide a gun-mount whereby the gun canbe readily trained and elevated and wherein the act of training the gundoes not interfere with or disturb the degree of elevation at which thegun may have been set and vice versa.

Another object is to provide a. gun-mount wherein the adaptations aresuch that the gunner, in the aeroplane for instance, is not exposed tothe wind pressure in order to operate the gun, but on the contrary1 cando so perfectly from a protected position in the f plane.

Another object is to provide a gun-mount wherein the means for trainingthe gun and for elevating it are non-interferinvly independent of eachother and wherein the hand-controls for said means are convenientlymounted in two adjacent concentrically mounted hand-wheels adapted to belocated for Operation by the gunner from a protected position in theplane.

Another object is to provide a gun-mount and operating mechanismthereforl whose construction enables the gun to be operated from anupright position relatively to the fuselage of the pla-ne or from aninclined position over either side of the fuselage, and to enable thesechanges to be made quiclrly at will, thereby greatly increasing thefield of action and range of usefulness of the gun,

Another object is to provide a gun-mount having some or all of theforegoing charaud which will accomplish these by a s`mple, easilyoperated and dependable mechanism. and wherein the total weight isadapted to be kept down to a minimum.

1930. Serial No. 436,991.

Other objects will be in part apparent to those skilled in the art or inpart pointed out hereinafter.

rllhe invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

ln order that the invention may be readily understood and its advantagesfrom a practical standpoint fully appreciated, reference may be had tothe accompanying drawings showing one of the preferred forms ofembodiment which the gun-mount of the present invention is adapted totake. The preferred illustrative embodiment which I have chosen for thispurpose is one which is especially adapted for use in connection withaircraft such as aeroplanes, and on this account the drawings show anaeroplane in connection therewith.

ln the drawings, Fig. l is a vertical midsection partly in elevation ofsaid gun-mount within my invention;

Fig. 2 is the saine except that the section is taken at right angles tothat in Fig. l, in other words, making comparison with Fig. l, thesection in Fig. Q, is taken in a direction which is transversely acrossthe fuselage of the plane;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section partly in plan on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4l is a side. elevation of an aeroplane equipped with thegun-mount, the side of the fuselage being broken away to reveal theotherwise hidden portion of the gun-mount; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken through the fuselage in front ofthe gun-mount looking rearwardly and showing the gain-mount inelevation.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, the machine gun l (Fig. ll) is mounted andrigidly secured in a gun carrier 2 which in turn is supported on ahollow head generally designated 3 which in turn is supported on ahollow body port-ion generally designated 4 provided with means forrotatably supporting the hollow head 3 on said body portion so as to berotatable about the axis indicated by the dotted line 5 in Fig. 1. Thehollow body portion 4 is in turn supported on a stein 6 whose lower endis pivoted by pivotal connection 7 to a foot 3 which is secured to thefloor construction 9 (Fig. 4) of the fuselage, said pivot being arrangedto permit the gun-mount to be swung in a plane transverse to thefuselage from the upright position shown in the drawings to a positionat either side of the fuselage.

The gun carrier 2 consists of an open-ended metal trough of lJ-shapedcross-section within which the gun is adapted to be received and securedtherein by means of clamps or bolts not shown. The bottom of the carrieris provided with a lug 10 having trunnions 11 `journalled in bearings inthe upper ends of the parts 12, the latter being secured by their footportions to the top 13 of the head 3. The aforesaid side bearing parts12 are shown in vertical. cross-section in Fig. 2 and in elevation inFigs. 1 and 4, in Fig. 1 the part being merely indicated by the dottedline 12. In Fig. 2, 12a is a vertical rib for stiffening andstrengthening the bearing parts 12.

rlhe rotatable head generally designated 3 consists of a metal cylinder14 to which the top 13 is secured by the angle irons 15. The lower endof this cylinder is received down through a stationary sleeve 16securedV by its flanged foot portion to the top of the aforesaid bodyportion, generally designated 4, of the gun-mount. It will beunderstoodL that the cylindrical head 3 is supported by the bodj.7portion 4 and that the cylinder 14 of the former is rotatable within thesleeve 16 of the latter.

A worin wheel generally designated 17 is secured to the lower end of thecylinder 14 of the head 3. rlhis consists of a flat ring 13 having atits inner periphery two oppositely directed flanges 19 and 20. Theflange 19 fits within the lower end of the cylinder 14 and is rigidlyscrewed, bolted or riveted thereto. The outer periphery of the ring 13projects radially beyond the wall of the cylinder 14 and is providedwith the gear teeth which makes of the member a worm wheel 17. The lowerflange 2O is received with bearing fit into a cylindrical walled recessin a horizontal plate 21 supported between the walls of the body portion4, and the edge of said flange rests upon a shoulder 21a of said plate,forming the bottom of said recess. To hold the cylinder 14 of the headdown in its described proper position relative to the body portion 4, Iprovide the member 46 secured to the plate 21 adjacent the worm wheel17, said part 46 having an inwardly directed flange 46a which overliesthe top of the worm wheel and has sufficient annular length to preventsaid wheel and the attached cylinder 14 of the head 3 from becomingdisplaced vertically relatively to the body portion 4, but does notinterfere with` the free rotation of the cylinder and the worm wheelrelatively to the body portion 4. In mesh with the worin wheel 17 is aworm 22 on a shaft 23 whose ends are journalled in suitable bearingsprovided therefor in the side walls of the body portion 4.

The means for operating the worm shaft 23 and worin 22 to rotate theworm wheel 17 and attached head 3 compri-ies the following. 52 is a handwheel whose hub is secured to a shaft 22a turning in a sleeve 24 mountedto turn in a cylindrical boss 25 on the wall of the body portion 4, theinner end of said shaft v22a being journalled in a bearing supported bythe opposite wall 26 of the body portion 4. The gear 27 on this shaft isin mesh with the gear 23 on a stud 29 supported by the wall 26, and thegear 23 is in turn in inesh with a pinion 30 on the before mentionedshaft 23, Thus by turning the hand wheel 5., the gunner through thedescribed gearing can rotate the head 3 about its axis 5 and therebytrain the gun carried by said head through any angle in eitherdirection.

The means for elevating the gun comprises the following. 31 is a handwheel whose hub 31a is secured to the sleeve 24 between the other handwheel 52 and the outside of the body portion 4. (32 is a washersurrounding the shaft 23 and located between the hub of the wheel andthe outer end of the sleeve 24 to serve as a spacing .vasher between thehubs ofthe two wheels 52 and 31.) This sleeve 24 projects through andturns in the stationary cylindrical bofs 25. rh-e free end of thissleeve 24 within the body portion 4, carries a bevel gear 33 securedthereto by the hub 33a of said gear. 34 is a bevel gear pinion in meshwith 33, said pinion being mounted on the lower end of the flexibleshaft generally designated This flexible shaft consists of a middle andtwo end portions joined by universal joints 35a. lThe lower end portionof the flexible shaft is our nalled in a bearing provided for it in theheretofore described horizontal plate 21 across the interior of the boty portion 4. The upper end of the flexible shaft is journalled in abearing provided for it in the top 13 of the rotary head 3. 3G is abevel gear disi posed flatwise relatively to the top 13 of the head 3secured by its hub 33a to the free upper end of the flexible shaft. ltwill be noted that the rotary axis of said gear 3G is eccentric relativeto the axis 5 about which the head 3 rotates. 37 is a bevel gear pinionin mesh with the aforesaid gear 36 so that said pinion 37 and the bitebetween the pinion and said gear are preferably, substantially orapproximately in the rotary axis 5 of the head 3. For support thispinion 37 is secured to a shaft 33 paralleling the top portion 13 ofnemesi the head 3 and having its ends ournalled in bearings supported byupstanding lugs 39 from said top portion 13. 40 isa worm `carried bytheshaft '38, said worm bein-g in mesh with the worm wheel 41, the latterbeing an 180 .segment of a worm wheel rigidly Secured .to the heretoforev.described lug l0 ofthe gun carrier 2.

Thus by operating 'the hand wheel 3l, the gunner can Agive any desireddegree of elevation to the gun by means of the just described mechanism,comprisinglbriefly the aforesaid .bevel gears .33 and 34,'the lflexibleshaft 35,the bevel gears 3G and 3?' on top of the rotary head A3 andiinally the worm 4.0 .and worm wheel 4l, the latter tilting :the .guncarrier 2 on its trunnions ll to point the gun with the desired angle ofelevation.

It will be especially noted that the respective mechanisms with theirhand controls 3l and 52 for respectively elevating and training the gun,do not interfere with each other. Thus if the gunner has operated thehand wheel 3l .to give the gun a `desired elevation, the subsequentoperation of the training hand wheel 52 will not 'affect saidelevational adjustment. l have devised my present invention to :securethis non-interference between the respective controls and for this.purpose in the illustrative embodiment I have located the axis ofrotation of :the gear supported rby the top ofthe head 3 so as 'to beeccentric relative to said rotary axis of the head. The result is thatrotating the head 3 in order to train the gun does not cause the bevelgears 37 and 36 to 'turn relatively to cach other. @n the contrary, theyare merely carried around along with the head 3, the gear being carriedin a circular orbit about the rota-ry axis 5 and about the gear 37 whichpreferably is substantially coincident with said axis. The result isthat no matter to what extent or in which direction the head 3 isrotated, it produces no relative turning -n'iovement between the bevelgears 36 and 3?., and therefore vthe worm 40 and worm wheel 4l remainstationary and hold the gun fixed in whatever elevational adjustment itmay have.

rThe foregoing is a very different condition from that which would existif Vthe axis of rotation of the gea-r 36 instead oit being eccentricwere to be placed substantially or approximately concentric with therotary axis 5 of the heat 3. The result would be that whenever the head3 was rotated, .the pinion 3? would be carried by the head in a circularorbit about the rotary .axis 5. @n the other hand, the gear 36 wouldyremain stationary in .spite of the rotation of the head because invaccordance Awith the assumption it is at the center of motion or in therotary axis 5 of the head. In short, the rotation of the head wouldcarry the pinion 37 .about the .axis of the stationary gear 36, whichlatter would act like a stationary rack and would necessarily cause thepinion 37 to rotate and there- .by operate the worm 40 and worm wheelv4l lto .change the 'elevation of .the gun and throw it out of anyelevational adjustment which may have been previously .given to it.

Further .i'ft will .be noted thatthe invention provides not only for thehand controls 52 and 3l to -be .conveniently vclose together for:operation .by .the gunner, but also provides the gun-mount are locatedbelow the sides vof the fuselage and this is accomplished by keeping thebody portion 4 lof the gun-mount low relatively to the bottom ofthe'fusela-ge and .by making the rotary head portion k3 fof thegun-mount relatively high so as to support the gun sufficiently .abovethe fuselage for effective operation. lfith the protected location ofthe han-d controls provided 'by my invention, the gunner is not exposedto vany win-d pressure much less tothe terrific wind pressure created byan aeroplane in flight, which often becomes `so great tha-t .a gunner inan exposed .position attempting to operate exposed controls is seriouslyhandicapped in operating them accurately and indeed is often prevented'from operating them at all, by being glued by the pressure, body andarms, .against the gun.

Finally., the `preferred embodiment of the invention provid-es forswinging the guni mount from the upright position shown in the drawings,such as Fig. 4,y into inclined posi- 'tions at either .side vof the.fuselage so that the gun overhangs the side of the fuselage and can 'befired up and down and in other directions from that position. Thisswinging` of the gun-'mount in a plane transverse to the fuselage ispermitted as heretofore described by the pivotal connection 7 betweenthev stem 6 of the gun-mount and the foot 8 ysecured to the floorconstruction 9 of the aeroplane at 'the bottom of the fuselage. Tosupport and transversely guide the gunmount, I provide two arcuatemembers supported transversely relatively to the fuselage ff with thebody portion 4 of the gun-mount between them. These arcuate members 42'are in Vturn supported from the floor-construction ofthe aeroplane by4legs 43 which are inclined as shown in Fig. 4, to act as braces forgiving increased rigid support tothe guides 42. The body portion 4 ofthe gun-mount has -a pin 44 (Fig. 5) projecting from its front -wall andpreferably a similar pin, not shown, 'project ing from its rear wall,adapted t'o ride along ico the arcuate upper edge of the members 42 andto be received into engagement with the spring clips 45 carried by themembers 42. Fig. 5 shows three of these spring clips positionedrespectively at the middle portion of the arcuate member 42 and at thetwo end portions thereof. Each spring clip is adapted to releasablyengage the pin 44 of the gunmount and to hold the gun-mount in thatposition until the gunner desires to shift the mount into another firingposition by swinging it as aforesaid in a plane transverse to thefuselage.

It will thus be seen that the foregoing gunmount has a relatively simpleconstruction and embodies easily operated and dependable mechanism andthat the total weight thereof is adapted to be kept down to a minimum,which is especially necessary in a gun-mount for use in connection withaeroplanes.

As a number of possible embodiments may be made of the above invention.,and as numerous changes might be made in the embodiment above set forthwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is tobe understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The bevel pinion 4G (Fig. l) shown in mesh with the gear 47 on theopposite end of the shaft 38 from the pinion 37, is an idler pinionloose on said shaft. It balances the thrusts or" the gear 36 andpromotessmoother operation.

I claim:

l. In a mount for a gun, in combination, a suitably supported rotatablehead upon which the gun is mounted; means for rotating said head andthereby training the gun; and means for elevating the gun comprising adriving ejear and a driven gear operatively supported in mesh with eachother by said head, the axis of rotation of the driving gear beingeccentric to the rotary axis of the head; operative connecting meansbetween the driven `gear and the gun for elevating it; and means foroperating the driving gear.

Q. ln a mount for a gun, in combination, a suitably supported rotatablehead upon which the gun is mounted; means for rotating said head andthereby training the gun and means for elevating the gun comprising twobevel gears operatively supported in mesh with each other by said head,one of said gears lying in a plane transverse to the rotary axis of thehead and the other gear paralleiing said axis, the rotary axis of saidtransverse gear being eccentric to the rotary axis of the head; meansfor operating said transverse gear; and operative connecting meansbetween the other gear and the gun for elevating said gun.

3. In a mount for a gun, in combination, a suitably supported rotatablehead upon which the gun is mounted; means for rotatlng said head andthereby training t-he gun; and means for elevating the gun comprisinggears operatively supported in mesh with each other on said head, theaxis of one gear being eccentric to said rotary axis of the head; meansfor rotating the eccentrically mounted gear and through it the secondgear; and means between said second gear and the gun for elevating thegun.

4. In a mount for a gun, in combination, a rotatable head upon which thegun is mounted; a base upon which said head is rotatably supported;means for rotating said head and thereby training the gun; means forelevating the gun comprising a driving gear and a driven gearoperatively supported in mesh on said head, the axis of the driving gearbeing eccentric to said rotary axis of the head; and rotary hand wheelsoperatively supported by said base in adjacent concentric relation toeach other and respectively operatively connected with the aforesaidrotary head and said driving gear.

5. in a mount for a gun, in combination, a rotatable head upon which thegun is mounted; a base upon which said head is rotatably supported;means for rotating said head and thereby training the gun; and means forelevating the gun comprising a driving gear and a driven gearoperatively supported in mesh with each other by said head, the axis ofrotation of the driving gear being eccentric to the rotary axis of thehead; operative connecting means between the driven gear and the gun forelevating it; and means for operating the driving gear, said drivinggear operating means comprising a flexible shaft inside the aforesaidhead which is hollow, said driving gear being mounted on the end of saidshaft, and a hand control operatively supported by said base andoperatively connected with the other end of said shaft.

6. In a mount for a gun, in combination, a suitably supported rotatablehead upon which the gun is mounted; means for rotating said head andthereby training the gun; and means for lelevating the gun comprising aworm wheel on the gun, a worm in mesh therewith on a shaft which istransverse to the rotary axisiof the head and is operatively supportedby said head; a bevel gear and pinion, the pinion being on said shaftand the bevel gear being in a plane transverse to the rotary axis of thehead and being supported by said head in a position eccentric to said'rotary axis; and means for operating the eccentrically positioned gear.

7. In a mount for a gun, in combination, a suitably supported rotatablehead upon which the gun is mounted; means for rotating said head andthereby training the gun; and means for elevating the gun comprising aworm wheel gear on the gun, a worm in mesh therewith on a shaft which istransverse to the rotary axis of the head and is operatively supportedby said head; a bevel gear and pinion, the pinion being on said shaftand the bevel gear being ina plane transverse to the rotary aXis of thehead and being supported by said head in a position eccentrie to saidrotary axis; and means for operating the eecentrioally positioned gear;and another bevel gear pinionloose on said shaft in mesh With theeeeentrically positioned gear opposite to the first named pinion, theaforesaid Worm being located on the shaft intermediate said pinions.

8. In a mount for a gun, in combination, a suitably supported rotatablehead upon which the gun is mounted; means for rotating said head andthereby training the gun; and means for elevating the gun comprisinggearing operatively supported by said head and positioned relatively tothe rotary axis thereof to be given a motion of translation along Withsaid head but Without operating the aforesaid gearing supported by thehead.

9. In an aeroplane gun mount, in combination, a support for the gunpivotally secured to the bottom of the fuselage of the aeroplanesupporting the gun above said fuselage, said support being pivotabletransversely relatively to the fuselage to position the gun either abovethe bottom or over the side thereof; a stationary member extendingtransversely across the fuselage for guiding the transverse pivoting ofthe gun support; and releasable means for locating the gun supportstationary in various positions along the stationary member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this18th day of February, 1930.

WILLIAM L. MACKINE.

